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Killed Hostages Identified As Tori Johnson, Katrina Dawson

The manager of the Lindt cafe who was fatally shot in the Martin Place siege is being praised as a hero, responsible for allowing others trapped in the cafe to escape.

Tori Johnson, 34, was wrestling a gun from hostage-taker Man Haron Monis when he was killed.

It is understood the cafe manager decided to take action when the gunman began to doze off after the siege had been ongoing for 17 hours.

He lunged at the hostage-takerâ€™s weapon, allowing others to flee.

He was one of two hostages killed in the siege, with 38-year-old lawyer Katrina Dawson also fatally shot.

The parents of the siege hero have released a statement describing their pride in their â€œbeautiful boyâ€.

â€œWe are so proud of our beautiful boy Tori, gone from this earth but forever in our memories as the most amazing life partner, son and brother we could ever wish for,â€ the statement released through 2GB presenter Ben Fordham read.

â€œWeâ€™d like to thank not only our friends and loved ones for their support, but the people of Sydney; Australia and those around the world for reaching out with their thoughts and prayers.â€

Details are continuing to emerge about what happened inside the cafe, after a teenage hostage conveyed the demands of the gunman.

In a series of chilling two-minute phone calls, the 19-year-old told The Daily Telegraph the hostage-takerâ€™s demands, including a call for an Islamic State flag to be delivered and an audience with Tony Abbott.

The second hostage killed has been identified as barrister Katrina Dawson. The 38-year-old mother-of-three is the sister of well-known Sydney lawyer Sandy Dawson.

The NSW Bar Association released a statement this morning. â€œKatrina was one of our best and brightest barristers who will be greatly missed by her colleagues and friends at the NSW Bar,â€ said Bar president Jane Needham SC in the statement.

â€œShe was a devoted mother of three children, and a valued member of her floor and of our Bar community.

â€œOur thoughts are with her family at this time, including her brother, Sandy Dawson of Banco Chambers.â€

Prime Minister Tony Abbott released a statement this morning following briefings with the NSW premier and police commissioner.

â€œOur thoughts and prayers are with the families of the two deceased hostages, the wounded and the other hostages,â€ he said.

â€œI commend the courage and the professionalism of the New South Wales Police and other emergency services.â€

Abbott will travel to Sydney early this afternoon to be further briefed by NSW police and other security agencies.

Lindt CEO Ernst Tanner released a statement this morning, expressing his â€œdeepest sympathy to the victims and their familiesâ€.

â€œIn these difficult times we all need to stand together in order to defend the values of freedom, peace and tolerance,â€ he said.

The company has offered support for victims and their families, as well as staff affected.-news.com.au